Sunday, October 18, 2009

Yusef LATEEF - Live At Pep's 1964


Yusef LATEEF - Live At Pep's 1964
Label: Grp
Audio CD: (October 26, 1993)
Recorded Live at Pep's Lounge in Philadelphia on June 29th, 1964

Jazz

This mid-'60s concert was one of Lateef's finest, as it perfectly displayed his multiple influences and interests. There were hard bop originals, covers of jazz classics like Oscar Pettiford's "Oscarlypso" (a CD bonus track) and Leonard Feather's "Twelve Tone Blues," as well as an unorthodox but effective version of Ma Rainey's "See See Rider." On "Sister Mamie," "Number 7," and drummer James Black's "The Magnolia Triangle," Lateef moved away from strict jazz, although he retained his improvisational flair. Lateef played meaty tenor sax solos and entrancing flute and bamboo flute offerings, and also had impressive stints on oboe, shenai, and argol. This was a pivotal date in his career, and those unaware of it will get a treat with this disc.
By Ron Wynn. AMG.
**
"Live at Pep's" memorializes a 1964 Lateef performance at the then-famous Philadelphia lounge. The set features Lateef's exotic sounds on oboe and wood flute, his rooted-in-the-earth blues playing on alto and the fine trumpet stylings of the late Richard Williams. If there's a complaint, it's that some of the tunes are too brief.
Lateef's ability to manage the recalcitrant double reed of the oboe is immediately demonstrated on "Sister Mami," where he rides herd over a sinuous, whining line that manages to sound bluesy and Eastern at the same time. Williams contributes a great, flashy trumpet break, but it doesn't last long enough.

There's plenty of blues throughout, the best being "Number 7" and "12 Tone Blues." The former is a kind of blues trilogy that goes through some interesting changes and features some fine harmonizing by Lateef and Williams and nice work by the underrated Mike Nock on piano.

Lateef is not the most technically gifted player around, but his playing has lots of soul and emotion and like Rahsaan Roland Kirk, he's never been afraid to stretch the boundaries of jazz with new instrumentation and incorporation of nontraditional influences. And any recording that gives us another taste of Richard Williams is to be valued. Good album from one of jazz's solid citizens.
By Tyler Smith.
**
Yusef Lateef- (Tenor Sax, Oboe, Argol, Tambourine);
Richard Williams- (Trumpet);
Mike Nock- (Piano);
Ernie Farrow- (Bass);
James Black- (Drums).
**
01. Sister Mamie 5:27 
02. Number 7 9:39
03. Twelve Tone Blues 4:50
04. Oscarlypso 7:46
05. Gee Sam Gee 6:38 
06. Rogi 6:44  
07. See See Rider 5:23
08. The Magnolia Triangle 5:16
09. The Weaver 5:40 
10. Slippin' & Slidin' 3:26
**
NoPassword
*
DLink
*

No comments:

Post a Comment